A WWII medal awarded to an heroic pigeon whose story inspired a Hollywood film, is to go on display.

Gustav, trained by Frederick Jackson, of Cosham, Hampshire, was the first of the RAF's Homing Pigeon Service to bring back news of D-Day to the UK.

The bird's Dickin Medal, one of 32 awarded to pigeons who carried secret messages during WWII, is due to go on show at Portsmouth's D-Day museum.

Their story was recently made into the film Valiant, starring Ewan MacGregor.

Gustav was one of six carrier pigeons given by the RAF to Reuters war correspondent Montague Taylor, who had gone with Allied Forces across the English Channel.

The birds were taken to battle in wicker baskets on servicemen's backs and set free to fly home with vital information.

Gustav was a real local hero, putting his life on the line to bring back vital information on the success of D-Day

Paul Raymond

Gustav was released off the Normandy coast and, faced with headwinds of up to 30mph and no sun to guide him on a cloudy day, he flew 150 miles to a pigeon loft in Thorney Island, near Portsmouth, in a journey that lasted five hours and 16 minutes.

His handler, Sgt Harry Halsey took the message that read: "We are just 20 miles or so off the beaches.